Uncle Stan's Cap

Ted. When one of my Dad’s brothers died back in the 80’s, his widow, my Aunt Adele, handed me an old grey cap. “This is cashmere, Ted. Your uncle always loved this cap and I thought you would like to have it.”

That cap must be well over 60 years old now. Dubbed my “jaunty cap” by good friends, Sue & Terry, it has served me well in the ensuing decades. Not only does it keep my bald spot warm, it is good camouflage, causing me to be occasionally mistaken for a local (til I open my mouth).

I think my uncle would love Europe today. He was fond of good food and drink, always serving Piper-Heidsieck champagne for celebrations. He only went there twice and both experiences were bad. The first was with his father on a trip back home to Poland and on his second visit he actually got shot! I blame the tour group and the organizer for that bad experience. You see, he was traveling with a group called the US Third Army and his tour leader was George S. Patton.

My parents taught me that travel is important, but not as important as family. Smartphones allow us to stay in touch but an old grey cap serves as a gentle reminder to make frequent use of use that technology.